Endless liquid screen with indicating device



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,791

v G. R. RODDY 1 ENDLESS LIQUID SCREEN WITH INDICATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 3. 1924 2 Shuts-Sheet l i Np -t-:;

7 J. r 6 V al ke: 149A} Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,791

G. R. RODDY ENDLESS LIQUID SCREEN WITH INDICATING DEVICE Filed oct. 5. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV R. RODDY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 CHAIN BELT COM PANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ENDLESS LIQUID SCREEN WITH INDICATING DEVICE.

Application filed October 3, 1924. Serial No. 741,430.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, GUSTAV R. Room, a citizen of the United States, residing at lviilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Endless Liquid Screens with Indicating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to liquid screening apparatus such as is used for taking from sewage, or water to be used for industrial purposes, the coarser materialthat may be carried thereby; and it is particularly adapted for use in apparatus of this nature in which the screen is in the form of an endless traveling belt made up of filter or screen sections supported upon and carried by sprocket chains, and where the screen stands vertically, the opposite screen surfaces moving in vertical planes and at right angles to the path of the flowing liquid, one traveling downward, and the other upward.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a liquid screen embodying my invention, with certain parts broken away, and other parts, that are not necessary for an illustration of the invention, omitted.

Figure 2 is an end view of the screen illustrated in Fig. l, certain parts being broken away and omitted, and other parts being represented in vertical section.

Referring to the drawings A indicates the supporting and guiding framework of the apparatus, B, the large head sprocket wheels, C, the large foot sprocket wheels, and F the sprocket chains that carry the screen sections I and engage with the said sprocket wheels B and C. The head wheels B have connected with them adjusting mechanism D, which, so far as this invention is concerned, may be of any usual or preferred form. The lower or foot wheels, which, when the apparatus is in use are immersed in the liquid to be screened, extend into a boot G, that encases them at the sides and bottom, and is supported by the framework A. Directly below the screen, where it makes the turn about the foot wheels C, and extending from one end wall2 of the boot to the other, is located a curved boot plate H. The screen sections E are formed with lips I that assist in retaining the material collected from the liquid on the uprun of the screen.

In the end walls 2 of the boot are formed openingsor slots 1 through which extend the ends of the shaft 0 on which turn the lower or foot sprocket wheels C. The shaft 0 is held in place and against turning by means of keeper plates 3 that engage therewith and are secured to the end walls of the boot.

The parts thus far described are common and well known in the art. In the use of a liquid screen such as described, it is customary to adjust the upper or head wheels B by means of the mechanism D so as to give tie proper tightness to the sprocket chains If. These chains, however, sooner or later wear at their joints, with the result that they sag and fall away somewhat from the lower sprocket wheels, which wheels it has been customary to support upon a shaft -0 that is fixedly mounted in or relative to the boot G. As a result of the looseness of the chains due to use and wear, the lips I of the screen sections travel undesirably close to the boot plate H, or even drag along the surface thereof. But it cannot always be ascertained when this undesirable condition occurs, owing to the fact that the foot wheels and lower portions of the screen are submerged, and so it frequently happens that the upper sprocket wheels are not adjusted to take up the slack in the chains until the apparatus has run for a considerable period of time under the undesirable conditions referred to.

My invention has for its object to provide automatic indicating means that are adapted to inform the one operating the apparatus whenever the chains F are stretched or become so worn as to interfere with the most desirable working of the apparatus, and I will now describe one form of such indicating mechanism.

4 indicates a toothed wheel supported on a shaft (3 below the boot plate H and having a segment of its periphery extending through an opening 12 formed in such plate, to such extent that the lips I of the screen clear the wheel when in normal and proper working position, but will engage therewith and turn it whenever the chains sag or fall away, from the lower turning wheels C, due to the chains stretching or for other reasons. The shaft 6 is suitablysupported and is connected by gearing 5 with a vertical shaft 7 that in turn is connected by gearing 8 with a shaft 9 carrying a pointer 10 that moves over the face of a dial 11.

The pointer and dial are located at some place convenient of observation. When the liquid screening apparatus illustrated is set up for use the upper head wheels B are adjusted, by the mechanism D, to give to the chains the proper tension, which will insure that they pass around the lower turning wheels C in close engagement therewith, the lips I of the screen sections moving past the plate H at such distance as has been determined to give the best results in the operation of the apparatus. As the chains F wear and stretch through use they will sag and fall away from the wheels C, through the action of gravity, and the lips I of the endless conveyor will approach closer to the plate H than is desirable and will finally, unless the slack in the chains be taken up, drag along the surface of the plate H as they make their lower turn. \Vhen the lips I approach undesirably close to'the plate H they act upon the teeth of the wheel 4, causing it to rotate and turn its shaft 6. The motion thus imparted to the shaft is com municated to the pointer 10 through the train of gearing which has been described, and as this indicator moves over the face of the dial warning .is given that the upper, head wheels B should be adjusted to put the proper tension upon the chains F of the endless conveyor.

I have illustrated my invention by means of a visible indicator consisting of a pointer moving across the face of a dial, but this is not the only practical embodiment of the invention herewith presented, for other indicating means might be substituted in place of the pointer and dial, and hence I desire it to be understood that the illustration of an indicating device which I have chosen to present is typical, and not restrictive'of the scope of my invention.

I do not in this application claimthe combination with an endless conveyor in the form of a liquid screen and means for sup porting and driving it, an indicating device that is controlled by such movements of the screen as are due to the wear of parts, as

that subject matter is presented and claimed by me in another application which I have signed of even date herewith.

I have represented the shaft of the foot wheels C as supported in stationary bearings so that as the endless screen wears and sags it falls away from the wheels. However, the wheel shaft might be so supported and guided that the wheels hang. in the lower loop of the screen and fall or sag along with the chains F as they wear and stretch.

In my application for patent just referred to I illustrate a form of screen in which the foot wheels are thus mounted.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a liquid screening. apparatus, the combinationwith an endlesssc'ieen, wheels supporting and driving the same, and adjusting means for regulating the tension of the screen, of an indicating device, and means arrangedto-operate the indicating device and located in the path of the screen when it sags relative to its supporting wheels and arranged to be operated by the movements of the screen.

2. In a liquid screening apparatus, the combination withan endless screen, head and foot wheels by whichit is supported and driven, and adjusting means for maintain mg the screen under proper tension, of an indicating device andmeans for operating it, comprising a-member located adjacent to the said foot wheels, arranged to be operated by the movements'of' the passing'screen, the location of such member beingsuch that it is operated only when the screen sags due to stretching and wear thereof.

8. The combinationst'ated 'in' claim 2, including as the member located near the foot wheels, a toothed 'wheel," and gearing between such wheel' andtheindicating device.

4. In a liquid screening apparatus, the L combination with an endless screen, head and foot wheels by which it is supported and driven, adjusting' -mea'ns for 'maintaining the screeniiiider proper tension, and a plate past which the screen moves in making the turn around thelower foot wheels, of an indicating device andmeans for operating it, comprising a movable member extending through the said plateand arranged to be operated by the passing screen, the location of the member being such that it is operated only when the screen sags below normal and proper working positionl 5. In a liquid screening apparatus, the combination with an, endless screen, head and foot wheels by whichit is supported and driven, adjusting means for maintaining the screen under proper tension, and a plate past which the screen moves in, making the turn around the lowerfootwheels, of a toothed wheel,the peripheral edge of which extends through the said plate and islocated so as to be operated by the passing screen only when the latter sags due to stretching and wear, a device for indicating that the said toothed wheel is being operated, and comm tions between the said'toothed wheel and the indicating device.

GUSTAVR. RODDY. 

